The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling

Written by: Hans Christian Andersen

Illustrated by: Roberta Wilson

Odyssey Books, 2010

32 pages

Traditional Literature

The Ugly Duckling is about a sad and ugly duckling turning into a graceful swan. The ugly duckling is taunted by his siblings as well as the other animals. The ugly duckling is very lonely and wants to die. He finally sees one day that he has turned into a beautiful swan.

Roberta Wilson used paint to illustrate this beautiful retelling of The Ugly Duckling. The emotion of the story can really be seen in the illustrations. The pictures are very detailed and colorful. The text placement is formal and the illustrations are both double and single-page spreads throughout the book.

This book would be appropriate for anyone to read. The Ugly Duckling is a traditional story and most people are familiar with it. This book could be used when teaching a lesson on bullying or self-confidence. Students could also research different types of birds such as ducklings, hens, and swans, and compare and contrast them.

The Ugly Duckling is a Caldecott Honor Book and an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award winner. I would definitely recommend this book since it is a very notable piece of traditional literature.